The Best Antiques
by Reflection of a Broken Dream
Summary: Shippou and Sesshoumaru have made it to modern times and now they're waiting for Kagome to finish her journeys to the past. So...in the meantime, how do they pass their time? With riddles, messing with one another and fan girls, and antique shopping, of course. XD Friendship Fic


**The Best Antiques**

**Author: Reflection of a Broken Dream**

**Pairing: None**

**Quick Note**:

- This is a one-shot based off of a saying I found on the internet years ago. I don't own it, don't claim to, and I won't tell you the saying until the end! Dun, dun, duuun! Suspense! Mwahahaha!

- Placed during Inuyasha, but in the present era...Kagome has no idea what's going on. You'll understand once you start reading it.

- I did this slightly random one for my birthday! Boo yah! I can't post it _on _my birthday (July 21st), though...so I post it _now_!

- I realize that I can post replies to ya'lls responses in a different way, more directly. I'm going to start doing _that _from now on. :P

**Disclaimer**:

I don't own Inuyasha or any of the awesome characters! But I own the plot, so _that's _okay! XD

**The Best Antiques**

**One-Shot**

"Hey, glad you could make it," a red-haired man smiled at a man with long ebony hair that approached him.

"Hn," the black haired man hummed stoicly in acknowledgement.

"What? You can't manage a proper greeting for an old friend?," the red-head asked with a grin tugging at his lips, his turquoise eyes alight with amusement.

"Hello?," the man more asked than stated, gaining a chuckle from the red-head.

"You never change, do you?," he asked knowingly.

"I am not...a 'personable' person...I never was," the man with dark hair shrugged.

"I know," the red-head replied, a soft sigh escaping his lips.

"Then what was the point in asking for a proper greeting?," the dark-haired man questioned, a brow risin high to show his curiosity.

"I like to talk, you know that," the red-head chided. "I like holding conversations- _actual _conversations- where all of the answers aren't 'hm' or 'umm-hmm' or 'uhhh-uh'. I like a 'yes' or 'no' or...or..._something _I can work with as conversation. Questions, answers, _words_!" A low, sultry chuckle was drawn from the man with dark hair, the man towering almost a head over the red-head.

"You are much like your adoptive mother, Shippou..._too much_, at times," the dark-haired man replied as he shook his head, his honey golden eyes gleaming with amusement in the sunlight.

"Thank you! I'll take that as a compliment!," Shippou grinned, his pearly white teeth gleaming as he laughed softly.

"What was the point of meeting today again?," the dark-haired man asked, seeming a bit lost for a moment.

"Kagome," Shippou reminded gently. "Man you _must _be getting up there for your memory to be going like this...how old are you again? Three thousand?"

"My memory is just fine, thank you," the black-haired man replied curtly, obviously offended by the comment. "I own seventy five different corperations across the world, Shippou. It's not easy to manage them all along with my private life. ...And I'm two thousand five hundred and fifty four, for your information."

"Sooorrry!," Shippou replied, trying to hide his smirk. "But you're right, that _would _be hard to manage... I'd never be able to do it like _you _do, Sesshoumaru." The old inu held his head up high. _'Proud old bastard_,' Shippou thought silently as he shook his head a moment, his thoughts racing around his mind at top speed. "Alright...she should have just come back an hour or so ago, so we can grab some coffee before we go and check on her, if you want. My treat."

"Alright," Sesshoumaru nodded, flicking a lock of his obsidian hair over the shoulder of his crisp black designer suit. "A latte sounds good...and perhaps we can lose some of our fangirls."

"Oh, come on...you've got to like it a _little_," Shippou teased, earning a glare from the elder demon. "I, personally, think it's amusing that they think we're so sexy. It's definately a nice change from _that _era." Sesshoumaru couldn't help but nod in agreement as Shippou pulled his long coppery hair down from his ponytail and shook it out almost in slow motion, like a model would for a commercial. Sesshoumaru's brow quirked, hiking even higher when a fangirl off to the side fainted.

"Somehow...I think you enjoy this a little too much, kit," Sesshoumaru stated, Shippou snickering as he pulled his hair back into a lower ponytail.

"I'm a kitsune," Shippou shrugged with a cheerful smile on his face. "I like stirring up a little trouble every once in a while. My fangirls just happen to always be close when I'm in a mischievious mood...and they bring it on themselves anyway. You really _should _try it sometime."

"Hn," Sesshoumaru hummed softly, Shippou taking it as he felt partially the same way and that he may or may not take his advice.

"Anyway...let's go," Shippou chirped cheerfully, leading the large demon down the sidewalk towards the nearest small coffee shop. It was silent on the way there, Shippou opening the door for Sesshoumaru, the man striding in and Shippou following behind him. They ordered at the counter and got their lattes, Shippou dishing out the money for it. With only a few strides, the two were out the door and walking down the not-so-crowded sidewalks. It was the mid-morning of a weekday- most people were either at school or at work. (And some of them were skipping to spy on the two of them...)

"Surely you can afford better clothing," Sesshoumaru spoke as they started en route to Kagome's house.

"What?," Shippou asked confusedly at the abrupt subject brought forth by the great and magnificent conversation hater.

"Your clothing, kit," Sesshoumaru repeated.

"What's wrong with it?," Shippou asked defensively as he looked down at what he was wearing.

"A T-shirt that says 'Foxy', a bad joke in itself that is made worse by the half-fox half-man illustration, and skinny jeans," Sesshoumaru pointed out. "You are a famous manga artist, are you not? Surely you can afford better clothing than _that_." Shippou couldn't help but roll his eyes at the pampered pooch.

"I _could _afford better, yes," Shippou admitted, taking a long sip from his latte. "But I like this stuff, it's comfortable. Not to mention it flatters my figure." He batted his eyelashes at Sesshoumaru, laughing when the inu choked on his latte.

"Are you-Are you _coming onto me_?," Sesshoumaru asked, a hand patting his still slightly heaving chest.

"What?," Shippou asked, mildly shocked that he ran with the joke. He _rarely _joked back with him... Tipping his head to the side when he noticed Sesshoumaru doing it, he could hear the excited chatter of their fangirls...talking about them being together as a couple. His brows rose high in slight shock, turquoise eyes finding knowing and amused golden eyes. So _that _was what he was playing at...

"I know that I'm a _very _attractive male, and I've been with my share of bed partners, female and male alike, but I'm just not interested in you, Shippou," Sesshoumaru went on, raising his brow in challenge as he raised his voice a bit so the fangirls could hear. Shippou grinned- two could play _this _game. Swiftly, Shippou erased his grin and put on a slightly more desperate face; it was a face he imagined one of the sappy soap opera women would have put on as she began to confess her undying love to an unwilling suitor.

"But...I thought we had something, Sesshoumaru?," Shippou more asked than said, his voice coming out unsure as they came to a slow stop on the sidewalk. "We've spent _so much _time together over the past few months...and what about the night we shared that _smouldering _kiss? Can you honestly say that it meant _nothing _to you?" There was a hint of discomfort that flickered in Sesshoumaru's eyes as he mentioned the kiss that had never happened...but the fangirls were eating it up.

"A kiss, indeed...a _kiss _means nothing to me...," Sesshoumaru brushed off easily, a hint of danger sparking in his eyes from the obvious challenge Shippou had given him. The fangirls were swooning...and crying now that Shippou made the best heart-broken face he could muster. Inside, Shippou was snickering. Sesshoumaru set aside his coffee cup on a nearby bench and put his hands on Shippou's shoulders. Shippou did the same before he rested his hands against Sesshoumaru's chest as he looked tearfully up at the older man. "It was simply a situation that...got a little out of hand. Shippou...I only care for you as a friend. You are my nearest and dearest friend. Despite your feelings for me, can we...remain friends?" There was a hesitant edge to Sesshoumaru's voice that gave it emotion as he gently stroked Shippou's cheek. If Shippou hadn't known any better, he would have thought that Sesshoumaru _actually _loved him like a lover... _**'Damn **__he's good_,' Shippou silently admitted to himself. He'd never admit it to Sesshoumaru...his ego would inflate too much. Like it wasn't inflated enough as it _was_...

"I-I...," Shippou hesitated, his hand catching Sesshoumaru's at his cheek. "Mnnn..." Shippou slowly nodded with a small smile on his face as he wiped ar his eyes with his free hand. "Yes... Even if you don't care about me the same way I care about you, I still just want to be by your side."

"Thank you," Sesshoumaru spoke with a softness to his voice that surprised Shippou. He helped him wipe away his tears before kissing his brow and moving away, getting their coffee cups and handing him his. (That wasn't the first time that Sesshoumaru had kissed Shippou's brow, but it didn't happen often. It was a fatherly gesture that Sesshoumaru shared with him when Shippou was intiated into his pack- _years _after Kagome had been permanantly sealed from their side of the well. Sesshoumaru took Shippou in as his own child, as he had Rin, and raised him...after Inuyasha had found his death in battle, the hanyou stricken with a deadly incurable illness.) (At this current point in time, Kagome was still travelling through the well and they took it upon themselves to check in on her and assure her safety- _that's _why they were heading to her house.) Shippou took his latte back gratefully, Sesshoumaru gently turning him back towards their original path and destination.

"That wasn't half bad," Shippou admitted softly, the girls buzzing about how romantic and tragic their relationship was. "I was kind of shocked that you took me up on the mischief thing so early on- you really need to warn me before you do that again..." Sesshoumaru chuckled huskily over the rim of his latte.

"Thank you," Sesshoumaru replied easily, shooting him an amused glance. "You're always surprising _me _with that sort of nonsense...in public, no less. I thought it was a good time to return the favor." Shippou sighed with a soft, mirthless chuckle as he took a sip of his own latte. "..._And _I got to show off what I've learned through improv classes."

"Improv?!," Shippou whispered as loudly as he dared to with the fangirls around, whipping around to look at the old dog in shock. Sesshoumaru's chin was held high, the inu obviously proud. "You cheater! You've been waiting for an _oppertunity _to trap me!"

"Perhaps it was high time for you to be ensnared in one of your _own _tricks," Sesshoumaru retorted as a smug smirk unfolded over his face.

"Unbelievable...," Shippou shook his head, looking forwards again as he sipped on his latte. "I guess they were wrong..."

"Who?," Sesshoumaru asked, obviously thrown for a loop.

"Those guys that said you can't teach old dogs new tricks," Shippou grinned as he peered back up at Sesshoumaru, his eyes narrowed down at Shippou slightly.

"I resent that remark..._and _the men who came up with it," Sesshoumaru sniffed, making Shippou snicker. It was just another of Shippou's passing pokes at him, and Shippou knew he was immediately forgiven for it. It had been that way for many years and Shippou didn't expect it to change anytime soon. He knew the boundaries with Sesshoumaru, and he was careful not to cross the line.

The rest of the walk to Kagome's house was comfortably silent, the two just casually passing by it.

"She's home," Sesshoumaru informed him with a tentative sniff. His sense of smell was superior to Shippou's, so Shippou relied on him for it when they passed by her house. If Sesshoumaru wasn't around, Shippou would have to stalk up to the house using the shadows to listen in and see if she was there...or he could always go up there in disguise as a customer of the shrine. (They had both agreed that he would only talk to Kagome's mom or grandpa, though. Never Kagome.) That was risky, though, because they didn't always know when Inuyasha would be coming through... If Inuyasha was around, he'd be caught. "I smell no blood on her and there are no demons nearby. _He _isn't near, either." Of course by _he_, Sesshoumaru meant Inuyasha. Shippou knew it still hurt to say his name sometimes...it could be difficult for himself, as well, when his memories were stirred...and they always stirred when they neared Kagome's home. The scent of the pristine area was close to her own natural scent.

"That's good," Shippou spoke quietly with a solemn nod, sipping the last of his latte and wishing he could just break all of their rules and rush in and see her. (He still considered her his adoptive mother- he occasionally teased Sesshoumaru about him getting together with Kagome, since Sesshoumaru was single and Shippou considered him his father figure and Kagome his mother figure-, even after all of these years...and he missed her something terrible...) But he couldn't. Not until time had passed and she had been pulled from the Fuedal Era permanantly by the force of the Shikon once it had been wished on.

"I thought _I _was the solemn stoic one," Sesshoumaru spoke after they passed Kagome's house, Shippou blinking up at him in surprise. Sesshoumaru gave the smallest of smiles, a tight but comforting smile that said he understood. It was hard on _him_, too...especially when Inuyasha came around. "Do you want to go and do something else?"

"...Sure," Shippou replied slowly with a nod. "You got somethin' in mind?"

"Not really...," Sesshoumaru shrugged. Shippou thought a moment before nodding and tossing his empty cup into a nearby trash receptical.

"Wanna go antique shopping with me? I need to find some new pieces for my art," Shippou asked honestly, hoping he'd agree to it. Sesshoumaru _always _turned him down when it came to hitting the antique shops... Shippou chalked it up to the fact that Sesshoumaru was always pampered and never bought anything cheap or used. _Ever_. After a long moment of Sesshoumaru looking thoughtful, he answered.

"Fine," Sesshoumaru shocked Shippou. "I want to see what you find _so _appealing about antiques..." Shippou gave a short laugh as Sesshomaru threw his own cup away, the two rounding a corner and heading back into the main shopping area.

"What _isn't _appealing about antiques?," Shippou replied in turn. "They're old, they're rusty, and they have this old-style charm about them that I can't resist..."

"Shippou, we _lived _through those eras, back when the antiques were _newly made_," Sesshoumaru chided lightly.

"I _know_," Shippou sighed. "But you've got to admit...looking at the antiques has to make you feel glad that we don't look like _they _do!"

"You're impossible," Sesshoumaru looked to the side, fruitlessly trying to hide his mirth.

"I just look on the bright side," Shippou grinned up at him. He opened his mouth and Sesshoumaru threw him a dirty look.

"Don't _even _start," he warned, making Shippou laugh.

"But we have milk and cookies!," Shippou protested, using the old infectious internet saying 'Come to the light, we have milk and cookies!'.

"I will _not _get caught up in your imaginary arguements again," Sesshoumaru shook his head at the kitsune.

"Oh...okay," Shippou replied a little too carelessly, making Sesshoumaru eye him warily. After a long moment, Shippou spoke up again. "Beef jerky." He smirked in seeing Sesshoumaru's eyes cut at him suspiciously. Beef jerky was Sesshoumaru's only vice...and Shippou was going to use that to his advantage. "What if we had beef jerky in the light?"

"I have my own, I don't need yours," Sesshoumaru sniffed, attempting to keep out of the bogus arguement.

"What if I bought up all the rest of the jerky in the world and stuffed it in the light?," Shippou asked, noticing Sesshoumaru's uncomfortable flinch. "Then what? Would you come into the light to get it?"

"No," Sesshoumaru replied firmly.

"And if I stole your entire hoard?," Shippou added on, cracking up in his mind at Sesshoumaru's slightly widened eyes. There was a hint of panic in them.

"Enough, kit," Sesshoumaru replied gruffly. "Don't talk about stealing my jerky...you're going to make me paranoid." A paranoid Sesshoumaru was a grumpy Sesshoumaru...

"Alright...have this and cool it," Shippou smirked, producing a small single-wrapped Slim Jim from his pocket. Sesshoumaru's eyes widened as he took the jerky a little too quickly. He used his nail to slice the packaging and he was munching on it in mere seconds. Shippou couldn't help but laugh. "Jerky is going to be the end of you one day."

"Inanimate objects can only kill if they are solid or sturdy or sharp," Sesshoumaru chided, downing the jerky in less than a minute and dumping the wrapper in a nearby recepticle. "Since jerky is none of those, I can assume that I'm safe."

"As hilarious as this is, you're right," Shippou admitted with a grin as he shook his head. Sesshoumaru snorted, obviously a bit displeased with him. "Oh...hey! There's our first stop!"

"Hm...," Sesshoumaru eyed the store that Shippou pointed at with disdain.

"Don't give it _that _look," Shippou frowned at him. "Just come _on_..." With relative ease, Shippou caught Sesshoumaru's hand and lead him into the store. Their fangirls followed, excited by the fact that Shippou had taken his hand, but they didn't follow them inside. A jingling bell warned the owner of their arrival, the store quite small. The front desk was only about fifteen feet away from the door, bookshelves and tables lined up neatly with all kinds of antiques and knick-knacks on them.

"Good to see you, Shippou," the elderly man called as Shippou smiled at the man.

"You, too, Atsuma-san," Shippou replied amiably.

"Are you looking for something specific?," Atsuma asked as Sesshoumaru looked around curiously.

"Nah...we're just looking today," Shippou waved off.

"Alright...if you need anything, don't be afraid to call me," Atsuma replied with a smile on his wrinkled face.

"Will do," Shippou smiled as he went to looking at all of the relics laying around. Most of it was junk, admittedly...but it was all the real deal here. None of that fake antique bogus that some of the more popular shops had. He noticed that Sesshoumaru was looking at something in particular. "Find something interesting?"

"No...," Sesshoumaru waved off as Shippou caught a glance at what he was looking at- an old amulet. "I was just curious..."

"Okay," Shippou dropped it, just glad that Sesshoumaru was looking around. "You know what? let's make this fun. I'll give you a riddle and I want you to solve it before we get done with our antique shopping."

"Hm...," Sesshoumaru hummed softly with a raise of the brow. _'That means 'go on',' _Shippou translated silently.

"Okay!," Shippou grinned, his eyes glittering with mischief. "What are the best antiques?"

"The antiques that aren't broken," was Sesshoumaru's immediate response, making Shippou laugh softly.

"Good guess," Shippou nodded, giving it to him. "But no. Think about it a little." Shippou got to looking around a little as Sesshoumaru thought on it a few minutes.

"The antiques that are in good condition?," Sesshoumaru asked, Shippou giving a chuckle.

"Nope," Shippou grinned, picking out an old lantern. "Keep guessing."

**Six Antique Shops, Seventy Guesses, And Four Hours Later...**

"I don't know," Sesshoumaru sighed in frustration as he ran a hand through his ebony hair, the two walking down the sidewalk through town. "I can't think of any other answers to your riddle." He looked expectantly over at Shippou, who had an armload of bags. He had picked out two lanterns, three amulets, six books, two daggers, four art scrolls, and seven elaborate women's hair accessories. Sesshoumaru had empty arms, but he _had _asked if Shippou needed help. Shippou had declined, as he usually did.

"So you give up?," Shippou asked with a raise of his brow and a grin stretching across his face.

"Yes, I give up," Sesshoumaru confirmed. "What _are _the best antiques?"

"Old friends," Shippou replied simply, taking the old inu by surprise. Shippou smiled cheerfully as Sesshoumaru seemed to be trying to understand the full meaning of it.

"The best antiques are old friends?," Sesshoumaru asked, getting a confirming nod from Shippou. "Are you trying to say that I'm old?"

"We _both _are," Shippou laughed. "Old antiques like us should stick together." To his slight surprise, Sesshoumaru cracked a smile.

"Now _that_, I can agree on," Sesshoumaru agreed with an incline of his head. "Here...let me take a couple of your bags." Shippou allowed him to take them without hassle this time...his arms were getting tired. "Let's get you home and get your antiques put up."

"Hm," Shippou hummed and nodded cheerily as they headed back down the street, towards his home. '_That couldn't have gone better_,' Shippou thought to himself along the way, walking in a comfortable silence with his adoptive father. Turquoise eyes glanced at the stoic man secretly, a warm smile on the kit's face. '_I wonder if things will be even better when Kagome joins us_?' He mulled on it a moment, hoping that it would be. _'It won't be much longer now_.' He smiled brilliantly to himself. _'I'm sure things will be __**just **__fine...we antiques have to stick together, after all_.'

**- END -**

- The saying was 'The Best Antiques Are Old Friends'.

- Hope ya'll enjoyed that! It was fun to write!

- Please review!


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